Oregon Shed Jobs In August; Jobless Rate Tops 4 Percent

The state Employment Department said Tuesday the jobless rate for August was 4.1 percent, up from 3.8 percent a month earlier. Leisure and hospitality and government were the hardest-hit industries, with both shedding more than 3,000 jobs.

Overall, the state lost 9,500 jobs in August — the first decline since January. Despite the weak report, the unemployment rate is nearly a full percentage point lower than it was at this time last year.

Another unemployment measure, known as U-6, was at 8 percent in August — up from 7.7 percent in July. The figure includes discouraged workers who stopped looking as well as part-time workers who want but can’t get full-time jobs.